Senator Jack M. Martins will once again be holding a Holiday Toy Drive. Toys can be brought to Senator Martins' District Office at 151 Herricks Road, Suite 202, Garden City Park during normal business hours. The toys will benefit the Child Life, Education & Creative Arts Therapy Department at Cohen Children's Medical Center. Toys will be collected through Wednesday, December 11 and then brough over to Cohen Children's Medical Center.

Senator Martins has held very successful toy drives in the past thanks to the generosity of the residents, school, libraries, businesses and villages throughout the Seventh Senate District.

Senator Jack M. Martins joined with the Mineola American Legion Post #349 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Adolph Block Post #1305 in paying tribute to the veterans on Veterans Day during a ceremony at Mineola Memorial Park.

If you’re a person who values common sense then prepare yourself to be disgusted and angry. I’m about to tell you about a sensible piece of legislation that’s long overdue, but is being blocked by the New York State Assembly,which is shamelessly pandering to its constituents with your tax money. In fact, you may be shocked to learn that we even need this legislation at all, let alone that it’s being systematically stymied by some in Albany.

Senator Jack M. Martins brought the successful Kid Pix program to the Westbury Library in coordinattion with Nassau County. The program allows parents to bring their children to receive a free identification card. The program has been extremely popular among parents and the kids are always happy to receive their i.d.'s.

Senator Jack Martins joined with Elmont Memorial High School Principal John Capozzi in congratulating Elmont's David Louis on his recent drafting into the Canadian Pro-Basketball League. Louis was signed by the Saint John Millrats. The 6 foot 5 basketball star was a sensation at Elmont Memorial High School. Martins honored Louis for his leadership, being a community role model for young people and his achievement. "David is a great young man with a very bright future. He makes our entire community proud and is a leader who will make his mark in the CBL without a doubt," said Martins.

State Senator Jack Martins attended the annual Sewanhaka Homecoming parade and greeted members of the varsity football team this past week. The Sewanhaka Indians beat their homecoming opponents in exciting action at the Anthony Dwyer fields. Before the game, Senator Martins spoke to the team and wished them well in their game.

State Senator Jack Martins joined County Executive Ed Mangano and the members of the Elmont West Club Alumni Football players in sponsoring a breakfast for the team at homecoming. Coach Jay Hegi, Principal John Capozzi, Assisant Coaches Kru Patel and Dave Kinsley joined with Martins and the entire football team for breakfast and inspirational speeches from Ian Holder, Herve' Duroseau and Lancelot Theobald.

Could you imagine if tomorrow school districts across New York State had to absorb more than 400,000 new students? Or picture your local school enrolling hundreds of new students and the effect it would have on class sizes, let alone our ability to provide books and materials, desks and lockers. Our current facilities could in no way withstand that kind of blow. In each district, new schools would have to be immediately built and hundreds of teachers, aides, and support staff would have to be hired. With the average cost to educate a student in New York at over $20,000 annually, you could bet our already sky-high school taxes would zoom to astronomical levels.

Senator Jack M. Martins sponsored a Kid Pix program in cooperation with Nassau County at the Bryant Library in Roslyn. The program enables kids to get free identification cards that are include valuable information on them for the safety of kids. The Senator greeted many of the parents as they came with their children to receive the i.d. cards.

Senator Martins thanks the Bryant Library for co-hosting this program.